Minneapolis Office of Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. Goes Green
U.S. EPA Commends Firm
Aug 2007
MINNEAPOLIS (August 2007) – As part of its environmental sustainability efforts, Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. is switching to wind-generated electricity to provide 100% power for its Minneapolis office, the law firm’s headquarters. The firm is purchasing nearly 2.7 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of green power annually through Xcel Energy’s green power program, Windsource®, replacing its dependence on traditional generating means such as coal, natural gas and nuclear power.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Minneapolis office is one of the largest purchasers of green power among law firms and the first law firm to be based in the upper Midwest. The firm is recognized by EPA as a Green Power Partner.
Additionally, the firm is participating in the ABA-EPA Law Office Climate Challenge. The Minneapolis office is taking a "best practices" approach to improve office paper management through a commitment to purchase 90% percent of its paper with 30% recycled post consumer content, and to recycle approximately 90% of discarded mixed office paper.
"Making the commitment to switch to renewable energy in the Minneapolis office was an easy decision," said Michael V. Ciresi, the firm’s chairman. "The program’s goals and vision of protecting the environment and improving our communities blend seamlessly with the firm’s core values. We are currently reviewing what similar options may make sense in our other offices, too."
"Going green is the right thing to do," said Ciresi. "We have long had a strong commitment to support programs that create a significant impact on our communities, and our green initiatives, like converting to wind energy, do exactly that."
The EPA estimates that the law firms’ green power purchase is equivalent to avoiding the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of more than 300 passenger cars each year, or avoiding the equivalent CO2 emissions associated with combusting nearly 190,000 gallons of gasoline annually, as based on national average utility sub region emissions rates.
"America is shifting to a ‘green culture,’ with more and more businesses understanding that environmental responsibility is everyone’s responsibility," said Marcus Peacock, EPA’s Deputy Administrator. "EPA commends Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. for making a long-term commitment to protecting the environment."
"Green power" is defined as electricity that is generated from environmentally preferable resources, such as solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, biomass, and low-impact hydro sources. Such resources generate electricity with zero anthropogenic (caused by humans) CO2 emissions and have a superior environmental profile to conventional power generation. Green power purchases help support the development of new renewable energy capacity nationwide.
About Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P
Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. (www.rkmc.com), represents Fortune 500 corporations, emerging companies, entrepreneurs and individuals as both plaintiffs and defendants. The firm is frequently engaged in high-stakes, complex litigation with significant bottom-line implications for their clients, and the business lawyers handle complex transactions in a variety of market segments. The Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. Foundation for Education, Public Health and Social Justice makes sizeable financial contributions toward narrowing education and health gaps. The firm has over 250 lawyers located in Atlanta, Boston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and Naples (FL).
About the U.S. EPA’s Green Power Partnership
EPA’s Green Power Partnership is a voluntary program that encourages organizations to purchase green power as a way to reduce the environmental impacts associated with conventional electricity use. The Partnership currently has hundreds of Partners voluntarily purchasing billions of kilowatt hours of green power annually. Partners include a wide variety of leading organizations such as Fortune 500 companies, small and medium sized businesses, local, state, and federal governments, trade associations, as well as colleges and universities. For additional information, please visit http://www.epa.gov/greenpower.
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